Likes: Henriette’s likes included singing and playing her lute, the freedom of wearing breeches, freedom in general, speaking her mind, and roasted poultry.Dislikes: Things Henriette disliked included being confined in one place, restricted, or told she has to do something (or can’t do something) because she's a girl, arranged marriages, snobs, and rats.Personality: Needless to say, Henriette is a free spirit. Open and expressive, she tends to speak her mind, sometimes even when not asked. You could argue that she's the Renaissance equivalent of a feminist, feeling that women's roles are too restricted, and that it's not fair to tell someone what to do just because she happens to be a girl. The notion of arranged marriage gets her particularly hot under the collar. Very much a “follow your heart and do what you feel is right” sort of soul.History: Henriette was born into one of the middle class families burgeoning so much in this time period. Not upper crust, but with enough money to try to be so. The only trouble was, Henriette disliked much of the trappings of being a “lady.” She found them restrictive and confining, when she would much rather be open and freewheeling. Or, more specifically, an artist. A performer. Needless to say, this scandalized her parents, who sought so hard to be respectable.When Henriette was fifteen, she found out they were seeking to arrange a marriage for her. Not to an aristocrat, like they hoped, but to at least gentry. Well, Henriette was having none of that. In the middle of the night, she hacked off her hair, dressed in her brother's discarded clothes, and ran away. She ultimately found her way to Paris, passing herself off as a boy named Henri. It was likely that disguise that saved her from a potentially harsh fate. For a time, she was with a troupe of street performers, playing her lute and singing to accompany their performances. Only trouble was, eventually they noticed that Henri was getting older... but “his” voice wasn't changing. Not to mention the definite progress of undeniable feminine charms.Ultimately, Henriette left the group. Tensions were running too high; some wanted her to stay, others claiming she couldn’t because if she were found out as a girl, all would be ruined. She solved the problem herself by departing in the night, on her own. She never knew whether they looked for her or not, because they never saw her again. Henriette was a transient for a time, playing on corners for coins and the like. It was a slim existence, but she was too proud to return home. After all, after about three or four years on the road with male musicians, it was quite likely her family would consider her “ruined” and disown her. Not toss her out in the streets, no; just pack her off into a convent. And that would be a life just as restrictive as an arranged marriage, in its own way. She knew there were other means of making more money than she did by her music- working as a tavern wench, or some such thing- but again, her pride wouldn’t let her. She’d left all behind for her freedom and her music. She wasn’t going to abandon it now.Music ended up being cold comfort in the end, though. Three years of sleeping in cold garrets or even hidden corners took their toll on the young lady’s health. It was hard to thrive, under such conditions…. Ultimately, Henriette came down with a sickness. A harsh, coughing sort, which brought up blood and wracked her with spasms. Like that, she had no means to earn money for medicines. Ultimately, the disease took her. A lonely end….

Likes: Cassie’s favorite things include fantasy (both novels and RPG), independence, music (especially singing), Renaissance Faires, pizza (especially when it’s got everything, literally everything, on it) and a good drink out with her friends.Dislikes: Cassie dislikes such things as dirt and disorganization, being treated like she’s dumb or worthless (especially because of her “hard-luck” background), vermin (especially ****roaches and rats), getting sick (or even just the thought of it; it’s almost a phobia, for her), and being poor.Personality: Cassie is an odd mix of hope and cynicism. On the one level, she’s led a rough-edged life, and that’s left her feeling somewhat bitter about the world as a whole. As far as she can tell, the people who come out down stay down, and you can only get to the top if you’re already pretty high up the ladder- or if you don’t care who you step on or bribe to get there. Needless to say, Cassie has no wish to do either. That’s because under her hard exterior is a young woman who really wants more. You can’t love fantasy as much as Cassie does without being at least a bit of a dreamer. It’s a side of her she’s tried to tamp down or push aside, but to no avail. Some little corner of her clings to the idea that someday she’s going to find a way to move on to a better place. She doesn’t know how, yet, and knows it’ll take a long time. Some bit of her even cynically thinks it’s just a pipe dream. But still, she can’t help but cling to it, regardless.History: Cassandra- or Cassie, as most people know her- is what you would term a “hard-luck kid.” She was born on the proverbial wrong side of the tracks, in origins not just humble, but looked down upon by a lot of her peers. Her parents never married; in fact, her father walked out on her mother when he found out she was expecting Cassie, and the woman was lucky she was even able to get child support from him for her daughter. That alone was a struggle. Needless to say, Cassie never had any relationship with him.Cassie’s mother tried to instill values in her daughter, to try to get her broken out of the cycle. Unfortunately, the modern world can sometimes make it just as hard as older worlds to get out of poverty once you’re in it. Cassie wasn’t dumb, but she was no genius either, nor did she have any stunning, spectacular talent she could sell. She had some level of apparent musicality- in fact, Cassie always loved music. But it wasn’t brilliant enough to warrant further training, and thus couldn’t get her anywhere. So instead she got through the regular school system as best she could, but not good enough to get any scholarships. As poorly off as they were, those were really the only option. Subsequently, it meant that Cassie was unable to afford to go to college. As yet, she’s still been unable to attend, instead working in a series of proverbial dead-end jobs, as wait staff and in convenience stores and other such locations.Cassie got into the “Cycle” game a couple years ago. Someone she knew online told her about it, knowing that over the years, she had become a fan of fantasy fiction- reading was one of her only outlets from worrying about money. A paperback book didn’t cost much, especially when gotten used, and there were always libraries too, after all. Cassie mentioned she’d heard about roleplaying games and wanted to try them; thus, her friend directed her to this current game. And… it sucked her in. This, above all, took her away from her repetitive and dead-end life. Here, she could be what she dreamed about- no longer the dead-end kid from the poor “Homewood” neighborhood, she could be poised and dignified- and finally, be musical. That above all inspired her. Finally, Cassie could have the music she loved. She plays this game pretty much every night, or whenever it is she’s not at work. It feels so good to just get away. Here, she can think that maybe someday she’ll be able to break free- go to college, make something of herself and this life she’s led. Maybe even have her music. Maybe….

Weapon(s): None, except for her fists and feet.Theme Song: “Are You Out There,” by Dar Williams (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0s373J0nR4)Interesting Fact: Cassie’s dislike of getting sick is more borderline on a phobia. It’s something she’s positively paranoid about; as far as she can tell, it relates to repeated dreams she had when she was a child, of being a different person but alone, living on the streets, and dying of a terrible sickness. Also, her screen name for the Cycle game is elvish_bard1582.Appearance: http://images.inmagine.com/img/photoalto/paa319/paa319000015.jpg

Name: Gwenaelle DiodoreAge: 150, though she looks like she’s in her twentiesRace: ElfGender: Female Sexuality: Heterosexual

Occupation: Bard (with a side of periodic strange visions)Hometown: DeveroBirthday: May 20

Likes: Gwennaelle’s likes include music (both singing and playing her lute), traveling to new places, her lute (it’s her most prized possession), the color green, and a good wine.Dislikes: Injustice, being dismissed or brushed aside as unimportant, being talked down to, looking undignified or silly, and ratsPersonality: Gwenaelle is more serious than one would expect for a bard. Instead of being a merry, carefree entertainer, the elven woman is typically on the somber side. Reserved outside the arena of performance, she tends to keep herself to herself. Few people get any real idea of who she is and where she came from, because she’s slow to completely trust, and thus slower still to give out her tale of origins. Occasionally someone will be able to make her smile and laugh, but mostly she quietly holds back, watching and waiting. It’s like she’s thinking about something that no one else fathoms, even herself. Such may well be the case, though….History: There was a time when the family of Diodore was a prominent one in the Elven lands; one of the noble clans, well-off in both funds and influence, a steady presence at the courts and elsewhere. This was, however, before a coup took place in the government. Or rather, not so much a coup as a civil war. The old king died, and his twin sons both wanted the throne. Neither would concede, and conflict erupted everywhere; at first, it was verbal debate, underlaid with plotting and scheming solely. The verbal discussions quickly yielded to dueling, though, and eventually, the two men were forming forces to fight each other…. No one who was of any importance could sit out the conflict, no matter how they might try.Gwenaelle was a mere child when all this was happening. Her family had been one of the ones trying to smooth things over, attempting to settle the matter with as little bloodshed as possible. There were those who took umbrage at this, though. Hotheads who were spoiling for the conflict ahead didn’t want to see this happen. Thus, one night, a raid was mounted on her family’s home…. Both her parents and her siblings were killed. Gwenaelle herself escaped only because she was so young; at great risk to herself, a maid smuggled her out huddled beneath her own cloak, feigning a look of pregnancy. Only the turmoil and chaos post-attack allowed it to happen at all. As it was, Gwenaelle saw what happened to her family, despite attempts otherwise to shield her….For some time, Gwenaelle lived as an amnesiac. The maid took the girl to her family in the town of Devero, some ways away from there. Later on, it was found that the Diodore home had burned. When the prince whose followers had launched the attack ultimately won the throne, it was clear no repercussions were given. Gwenaelle was the last of her family’s line left. Though for many years, she scabbed over the memories. Refused to acknowledge who she was, where she came from. It was almost as though she honestly was trying to start anew. The only memory she clung to was her music. When they fled, she had been able to smuggle out her beloved lute, an old family heirloom. That alone got her through the roughest days; losing herself in the sounds. It took a long time for her to be able to sing, though. For much time she hardly uttered a word; just sat and played, wordlessly, no sound but for the strings. And always, people gathered around to hear. Something about her music somehow mesmerized.One can often say that time heals all wounds, or at least scabs them over. Such was the case here. Gwenaelle did indeed finally allow herself to remember her origins and all that led to them. It’s given her a desire to somehow restore the honor to her family name. However, more recently, things have been confused. When in her travels (she largely gets by as a musician, playing and singing in taverns and what not), she had a run-in with a mysterious fortune teller. Gwenaelle had never put much stock with them… but this one knew things about herself that no one knew, for she had repressed them until not so very long ago. The woman told her that she had a destiny; that she was meant to be “a voice of the future.” That apparently her music, the mesmerizing nature of her voice and playing, was an outlet for that energy…. Gwenaelle was very confused by this. Until the visions started, that is…. She’d had very vivid dreams before, but never had she been stopped altogether by sights that filled her head with sights and sounds beyond those currently before her. Rapid and jumbled, they make little sense, but seem to be full of turmoil, and a mix of different places and times. Part of Gwenaelle wondered if she was losing her mind. But the other part remembered the fortune teller, and wondered what it was these still-obscure sights were trying to tell her.

Weapon(s): Bow and arrow, longspear, daggerTheme Song: “The Voice,” by Lisa Kelly of “Celtic Woman” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfO6JpR5Ip8)Interesting Fact: Gwennaelle can wiggle her ears, though she finds it an embarrassing skill she tries not to let anyone know about.Appearance: http://illiweb.com/fa/pbucket.gif?o=404Orb of Manna: Zodiac: